1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tremolo device for a stringed instrument.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tremolo devices have been used for many years with stringed musical instruments for creating a vibrato sound. Broadly, a tremolo device provides a means for changing the tension on all of the strings of an instrument simultaneously to create a pitch change during vibration of the strings. Typically, such tremolo devices include a moving tailpiece on the body of the stringed instrument that is utilized to accomplish this tension change. In such a device, a pivot point is established, and the tailpiece pivots about that point to vary the tension in the strings.
In some tremolo devices, the bridge is mounted on the pivoting tailpiece, to pivot with the tailpiece. In other tremolo devices, the bridge is mounted separate from the tailpiece and does not pivot with the tailpiece.
A handle or actuating arm is generally provided for facilitating the pivoting of the tailpiece, while the instrument is played. A counterspring is generally utilized to counteract the pull of the strings on the tailpiece. Examples of such tremolo devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,661 to Rose, U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,461 to Rose and U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,004 to Steinberger.
FIG. 2 shows a conventional tremolo device with strings 26 mounted on a tailpiece 24. Tailpiece 24 includes upper plate 23 and lower plate 32 which depends from upper plate 23 into recess 33 in the body 40 of a guitar. By moving actuating arm 28, tailpiece 24 pivots on screw post 38 to vary the tension in the strings. Counterspring 30 counteracts the pull of the strings on tailpiece 24. One end of counterspring 30 is attached to the body 40 by spring anchor plate 42 and anchor screw 44. The other end of counterspring 30 is attached to lower plate 32 of tailpiece 24.
A concern in the design of tremolo devices has been setting the tremolo tailpiece at a selected equilibrium position in a convenient manner.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a tremolo device with a tailpiece which can be set at a selected equilibrium position in a convenient manner and be adjusted quickly during play without the use of tools.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an arrangement for setting the tremolo tailpiece that can be retrofitted to an existing stringed instrument with minimum alteration.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.